Honoring Mother Earth:

Permaculture & Paganism in the Modern World

Rosalie Isis Shaw

AimsOriginal: Organic Farming Natural Medicine Women’s Roles

Current: Permaculture Paganism Eco-feminism

This is a literature review based thesis which will seek to understand the emergence of Permaculture and Paganism as alternative practices, with an eco-feminist analysis.

Methods

Background and SignificanceWhy does it matter?What am I talking about?

Past Hunter-gatherers Respect for nature

Nature Religion Nature controls

food and shelter

Present Sit at computers Might have a lawn

Science instead of religion

Divide between nature and culture

Nature-Culture Divide

Nature as separate from culture

Leads to environmentally risky behavior

Pagans• “people who live in the country”• Non-Christians• Those who are part of a modern “earth-based or

nature-based religion founded on ancient beliefs”

Animism Basis of most primitive

religions Gives souls to non-

humans, such as animals, plants, and sometimes minerals as well

A way to interact with nature

Edward Tylor coined the term with negative connotations

Neo-Paganism “New” animism Polytheistic Work with deities from

one or more pantheons Celebrate both the

God and Goddess, the male and female energies in nature

Two well-known religions: Druidry & Wicca

Permaculture Bill Mollison &

David Holmgren Agriculture/Culture

design Biodiversity Maximum

recycling/reuse, minimum consumption

Return control of food to the people

“earth care, people care, and fair share”

Common Themes1. Reverence for the Earth2. Emergence as an

Alternative3. Non-hierarchal structure

Where does gender fit in?

Eco-feminism Women are “enslaved to the species” due to their inherent

responsibility as child-bearers and rearers, while men can pursue other interests (Simoen De Beauvoir, 1949) Nature – feminine; Culture – masculine

Culture attempts to control nature Culture > Nature, therefore, Masculine traits > Feminine traits

“significant relationship between the oppression of women and the domination of nature” (Mortimer-Sandilands, 2008)

Vandana Shiva Proponent of eco-feminism

Reverence for the Earth Search for a “way of life in harmony with

the green Earth” (Greer, 2006)

Learning from nature, transforming the world

Nature-based spirituality or lifestyle of working with nature

James Lovelock – Gaia Theory Negative feedback loop on

earth to ensure homeostasis Threatened by humans

Rachel Carson – Silent Spring Toxic chemicals have

negative effects on people Disregarded as “hysterical

woman” who kept cats and was therefore clearly suspect

Gaia, “Mother Earth”

Non-hierarchal Structure

Neo-Paganism Independent

covens or groves In Wicca,

predominately led by women

Permaculture No central

governing body Still typically led

by men

Emergence as Alternative

Neo-Paganism Main stream: human-

centered religion, only a select few are connected to the divine

Alternative: nature-centered religion, everyone has the divine in him or herself

Emergence as Alternative

Permaculture Main stream:

Globalization of food production; Monocrops; over production

Alternative: everyday people are in control of their food production

“This concept of surplus has a patriarchal bias because, from the point of view of nature and women, it is not based on material surplus produced over and above the requirements of the community: it is stolen and appropriated through violent modes from nature (who needs a share of her produce to reproduce herself)”

-Vandana Shiva, 1988

Conclusions “permies” and Pagans believe in closing

the divide between nature and culture We all depend on nature to survive Work with Earth to ensure a positive

future Positive view of Earth could mean a

more positive view of women

Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.

--Vandana Shiva, 1988

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